A fun (but obviously photoshopped) image of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Following the recent, horrendous Hobby Lobby decision, I’ve been seeing a spate of articles talking about why so many women need birth control not for controlling birth but for medical issues like irregular periods.
I find this argument not only irritating but detrimental. I think the argument that birth control is not just birth control but medicine SUCKS as an argument. Why should it matter what anyone uses birth control for? Whether you’re having sex with multiple partners or just want to regulate your period — why is that anyone’s business? Why is that your boss’s business?
It’s your body. It’s your choice. That’s all that matters. Let’s not appease the narrow-minded by telling them you’re not using birth control to control birth.
Maybe I’m particularly sensitive to this appeasement that masquerades as an acknowledgment of rights because it reminds me of an argument that I see in the fat community a lot.
It makes me think of Stella Boonshoft, whose image was hailed as a moment in the body love movement. Yes, it was brave of her to take that picture in her underwear, but her words continually undermined her message: “PCOS makes it incredibly hard to lose weight, and spikes up your insulin levels which can lead to diabetes and other complications. I felt like I was just getting bigger and bigger and could do nothing to stop it. . . . Health and weight are not synonymous, and I know that to be healthy means to manage my sobriety and PCOS the best that I can. I may not ever be thin, but that’s okay. It’s all about progress, not perfection.”
I don’t mean to be hard on Stella. It’s not just her. But I want this sort of argument to stop because it’s not helpful.
It’s not helpful to say, “I’m fat because . . .” because it doesn’t matter why you’re fat. At least, it shouldn’t matter to anyone else. From a rights perspective, whether you’re fat because of genetics, or a medical issue, or constant dieting, or whatever, it doesn’t matter.
Why doesn’t it matter? Because you have a right to be fat no matter what the reason. You have the right to be in the body that you have no matter how or why you got there.
You also have the right to use birth control for medical reasons or for actual birth control or just because you like it. It’s none of my business. Just like your fat is none of my business.
But equal rights and bodily autonomy are our collective business.
You don’t have to apologize for your size or your birth control or your choices. Let’s stop the politics of appeasement when we’re talking about our bodies.
Do you agree with me on this? Let me know your thoughts below!
I really like this. I think there’s a place to point out that, yes, lots of women need birth control whether they’re having sex or not (and that the Supreme Court decision made no allowance for that). But the primary medical condition that b.c. deals with is *pregnancy* and it shouldn’t be your employer’s place or the public’s place to decide whether you’re worthy of medical care (that you contribute to the cost of) based on what conditions you have or how badly you need to not get pregnant.
The argument that sex is recreational or optional is kind of a red herring, because insurance companies pay for healthcare that’s related to quality of life, or that allows people to participate in recreational activities, *all the time.* Physical therapy, surgery for sports injuries, treatment for any ailment that isn’t likely to kill you outright, etc. And yet, suddenly when it comes to women not wanting to be pregnant, they’re expected to justify why they need medical care.
Thanks for this great article. I really liked this quote “It’s your body. It’s your choice. That’s all that matters. ”
I think that so many people don’t understand this, they are controlled by other people and let them decide for them that is right or wrong.
Like you mentioned some women use women use birth control for other health reasons and I am one of those women. And you are right. It is my body and my choice and really nobody else’s business. I wasn’t sure if I was going to agree with this post at first, but I love it!
Props, to you! Having some big balls. Like it!!
It was the same during the early days of AIDS. Somehow the people who got AIDS because of blood transfusions were deemed more “worthy.”
Amen sister! I am a big fan of the self love movement and people loving themselves for just that… themSELVES. Everyone is unique. As long as everyone is happy and healthy, that’s okay with me. If you are happy with yourself, even if you are not happy, that is alright with me as well. Life is meaningless without happiness. Love the points you brought up in this article. Keep doing your thing.
Cheers,
Victoria
I’m high-fiving you so hard right now through the computer screen.
I Only Need Birth Control Because . . . I’m Only Fat Because . . . And The Politics Of Appeasement http://t.co/L00PdAS3HF @bodylovewellnes
I need what I need – end of story. For some reason our tendency is to offer excuses for everything – as though everything needs to be excused. Being any size, having any need, being subject to any health DOES NOT require excusing by anyone. DON’T excuse me – recognize my humanity and move on.
And then there’s the part about benefiting from my labor but selecting my benefits for me. Um, no. If I’m working for you and you offer coverage; whether it’s mental health or birth control or substance abuse benefits – I’ve worked for the use of that benefits package. Those benes are mine, I’ve earned them and have a right to use that coverage as I see fit BECAUSE I’VE WORKED IN EXCHANGE FOR THEM AND THEY ARE COMPENSATION. (As are vacation days people – USE THEM!)
I don’t go to work to be protected, I go to work to offset the things I need to survive – food, clothing, shelter, medical coverage and health care. Don’t tell me you won’t allow me to eat beets (food choice), wear pink (clothing choice), live in a brick walk-up (shelter choice), see a female doc (medical choice) OR THAT I CAN’T HAVE MY CHOICE OF BIRTH CONTROL.
So, SO good!